Incontinence is a condition characterised by the uncontrolled release of bodily discharges from the bladder and/or the bowel. Urinary incontinence refers to loss of bladder control resulting in involuntary or uncontrolled urination. Urinary incontinence is a condition that is particularly prevalent among infants as well as in the elderly and infirm and, at least in relation to adult sufferers, is more prevalent among women.
Incontinence sufferers in care institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes, aged care facilities and geriatric institutions are cared for by the provision of absorbent articles such as pads, diapers, and the like. Carers in care institutions must periodically and manually check absorbent articles worn by subjects to determine whether an incontinence event has occurred, the extent to which the absorbent article has been filled and whether changing of the article is required.
Incontinence in infants in child-care facilities is also managed by the provision of diapers. Absorbent articles for absorbing liquids can also be used for other purposes including but not limited to menstrual pads and wound care articles. In these examples, periodic and manual checking of absorbent articles is required where the articles are diapers worn by infants in child-care facilities, or where the articles are menstrual pads or wound care articles worn by subjects in a care facility such as a hospital.
Incontinence indicators and detection systems including sensors in absorbent articles exist. Such systems can include sensors that are adapted for electrical connection to an electronic device which sends a signal to a processing device when an incontinence event is occurring or has occurred in the absorbent article. The signal processing device is configured to receive signals from one or more of such electronic devices and to process the signals to determine characteristics of incontinence events which are occurring or have occurred. Such systems may be adapted to alert a carer to the occurrence of an incontinence event so that the carer may check the article and, if necessary, change the article. Upon changing an absorbent article the sensor device in the new article is connected to the electronic device so that monitoring may continue with respect to the new absorbent article.
Existing incontinence monitoring systems are deficient in that after connection of the new absorbent article and sensor device they merely monitor incontinence activity. These systems are incapable of determining anything about the absorbent article and sensor device being connected to the electronic device such as whether the absorbent article and sensors have previously been used, the size or capacity of the absorbent article and sensor device, the type of absorbent article and sensor device, and other relevant information about the absorbent article and sensor device being connected to the electronic device. Similar limitations apply to monitoring systems in respect of other absorbent articles such as diapers, menstrual pads and wound care articles.
The present invention aims to improve upon systems and methods for monitoring combination absorbent article and sensor devices.
The above discussion of background art is included to explain the context of the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any of the documents or other material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in the patent area at the priority date of any one of the claims of this specification.